Storage lifecycle policies may determine the behavior of stored data such as, for example, replicated data, archived data, and backup data. A storage lifecycle policy may determine a series of actions and/or a schedule for storage management actions including when to backup data, when to duplicate data, when to archive data, which storage destinations to use, what type of data retention to use, what data classification to use, and other settings. A storage lifecycle policy may provide rules implemented by hundreds or thousands of other policies (e.g., backup policies, archive policies, etc.). Storage management needs change. For example, a device scheduled by a storage lifecycle policy to duplicate backup images may break. An administrator may desire to change a storage lifecycle policy to use a different duplication device for the images. However, some changes to a storage lifecycle policy may adversely affect stored data being processed under the storage lifecycle policy. For example, backup images may be scheduled to be duplicated to a destination removed by a storage lifecycle policy modification. These images may subsequently expire without being duplicated which may result in a loss of data. Many other complications may arise, so users may not modify a storage lifecycle policy if any data associated with the storage lifecycle policy is being processed. However, if storage management needs change (e.g., a backup or duplication device breaks) the problem may need to be addressed. This may result in a user having to create a new storage lifecycle policy and having to assign multiple jobs (e.g., backup jobs) to the new storage lifecycle policy. In addition to reassigning multiple jobs to a storage lifecycle policy a user may then have to manage multiple storage lifecycle policies.
In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there may be significant problems and shortcomings associated with current storage lifecycle policy management.